Odd One Out
by roseXstars31
Summary: Sometimes, it's good to be different. Rima is always the odd one out. But this time, she wouldn't trade being the odd one out for anything in the world.


**Okay, so I know that it's not anywhere near Rima's birthday, but I just had this idea and couldn't wait six months to publish this! I hope you like it!**

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><p>"Meeting's over," Tadase announced. Like Seiyo Elementary, Seiyo Junior High had Guardians too, and when Rima, Amu, Nagihiko, and Tadase had entered seventh grade, they had become Guardians. The whole Guardian group had been quite large when Rima and the others had joined, but Guardians had graduated and left the school, like Kukai had. Or quit the group, like Yua had. Yes, Yaya had joined once she had entered seventh grade, but the group was pretty small now. The Guardians: Hotori Tadase, king. Hinamori Amu, joker. Yuiki Yaya, ace. Fujisaki Nagihiko, jack. Mashiro Rima, queen. Just the five of them, like the old times.<p>

Rima nudged Amu with her elbow. "Meeting's over, Amu." Amu, Rima's best friend, opened her eyes sleepily. "Oh, okay," she yawned. "I can't believe I fell asleep again!"

Rima rolled her golden eyes. "You can't help it. Tadase's lectures are just so boring."

"Well, yeah, but we're already in eighth grade, and…" Rima tuned Amu's babbling out and sighed. They were in eighth grade already, and since Seiyo Junior High was only for seventh and eighth grade, they would be graduating in a few months. Time seemed to fly away so quickly these days.

"—ma? Rima? Are you listening to me?" Amu's voice broke into Rima's thoughts. Rima turned her head to meet Amu's honey-colored eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I'm listening," she lied smoothly. Lying came easily to her now, since she did it so often. Lying to her parents. Her friends. Herself. And nobody could tell whether the things that came from her mouth were the truth or lies, except—

"She's lying." Rima scowled at the person. Fujisaki Nagihiko. Her enemy and rival for Amu's friendship. Rima hated the fact that he could see through her like she was a piece of glass. And a piece of glass she was. Cold and delicate. But Nagihiko knew that her "ice queen" persona was all an act. He knew about her parents' fighting, he knew about everything that she worked hard to hide from the world.

But what he didn't know was that he was the only person who created butterflies in Rima's stomach, the only one who had the ability to rip apart or refill her heart.

And even though Rima kept telling herself that she didn't like him, that Nagihiko was the person she hated most in the world, she eventually had to stop lying to herself and face the truth. And the truth was that she liked Nagihiko. Nagihiko, the purple-headed crossdresser.

Amu visibly brightened up when she saw Nagihiko. "Nagi! Let's go!" She stood up from her chair and smiled her dazzling Amu smile at him.

Nagihiko grinned back. "Let's go, Amu-chan." He turned to Rima. "See you tomorrow, Rima-chan!" He smiled at her, a smile that made Rima's heart beat fast. Her legs felt like jelly. But Rima managed to keep her passive expression intact and simply turned away from Nagihiko and Amu. "Whatever, crossdresser."

With a quick "Bye, Rima!" from Amu, the two were off, walking together to who knows where. Again. Nagihiko and Amu had been walking home after school with each other for the past few weeks, and it hurt Rima inside, although she didn't show it. Her best friend and the boy she liked. They had gotten much closer with each other, Nagi and Amu. Talking to each other after class, meeting each other at the park on weekends. Those were just a few of the things that connected Nagihiko and Amu together. And Rima hated herself for caring so much. But she did, and she had wanted to cry the other day when she heard the rumors.

_Flashback—two days ago_

_ Rima walked into school, early for once. She checked the watch on her tiny wrist. She still had ten minutes before class started. Sighing in relief, she slid open the Star classroom doors and slipped into her seat._

_ After a few minutes, Rima realized that the classroom was filled with quiet whispers. What was everyone talking about? Rima cocked her head and listened to the conversation of girls nearest to her._

_ "Have you heard?" the girl with dark brown hair—what was her name again? Rima couldn't remember. After all, Rima never paid attention during attendance—whispered to her friends. "Nagihiko-sama and Hinamori-san were seen at the park together! Do you think that they were on a date?"_

_ A date? Rima's blood went cold at the girl's words._

_ The second girl—wasn't her name Manami-chan? One of Amu's friends—nodded her head in agreement. "Nagihiko-kun and Amu-chan do a lot together, and they're always seen with each other. They're probably very close with each other. Good friends at the very least."_

_ The third girl—Rima was pretty sure that her name was Wakana-chan—was practically bouncing up and down with excitement. "They're not just good friends, Manami-chan! I heard that when they were at the park, Nagihiko-kun bought ice cream for her! And that they were eating their ice cream together, sitting next to each other on a park bench!" _

_ "Really? Are you sure? Maybe they're just friends. After all, Nagihiko-sama is a gentleman. He'd do that for anyone."_

_ Yes. Please let them just be friends, Rima prayed._

_ Wakana-chan sighed. "Again, they're not just friends! Do you think that Nagihiko-kun would hug someone who was just a friend?"_

_ "Ehhhh?" The other two girls (and Rima) were in shock. "Are you sure, Wakana-chan? Fujisaki-kun hugged Hinamori-san?"_

_ "Positive." Wakana-chan was beaming. "I was at the park myself the other day, and I was leaving when I glimpsed Fujisaki-kun hug Amu-chan. I was so surprised! But they definitely hugged. Definitely."_

_ The first girl's eyes were sparkling. "Nagihiko-sama and Hinamori-san, a couple? That's so kawaii! They go so well together!"_

_ Manami-chan bobbed her head up and down. "If Nagihiko-kun hugged Amu-chan, then he definitely likes her! After all, he doesn't hug any other girl, does he? He's never hugged Yaya-chan, and both of them have been good friends in the Guardians for a long time, longer than him and Amu-chan."_

_ Wakana's eyes suddenly darted around the room, and Rima quickly turned her head towards the wall. Wakana looked around for a few more seconds before landing back on Manami and the other girl. In a low, conspiratorial whisper, Wakana asked, "What about Mashiro-san?"_

_ Rima stiffened at Wakana's words. What about her?_

_ "Mashiro-san? Nagihiko-sama could never like her, let alone hug her. I don't think she's his type. Doesn't he like nice, caring girls? Rima-san and Nagihiko-sama are rivals, anyways. They would never like each other," the first girl said confidently, flipping her dark brown sheet of hair behind her shoulders. She, Manami-chan, and Wakana-chan stood up from their seats, smoothed out the invisible wrinkles in their school uniforms, and walked over to another group of whispering girls. Leaving Rima sitting in her seat, staring at her hands while her heart was breaking into pieces. _

Even now, the dark brown haired girl's words still stung. _Nagihiko-sama could never like her, let alone hug her. _Although Rima knew it was true, she still felt sick to her stomach every time she thought about those words. She had held onto the sliver of hope that Nagihiko might possibly be interested her for weeks. After all, he had saved her from the X-egg attacks, hadn't he? And he was always kind to her, even when she said cruel things to him and ignored him.

But that sliver of hope had disappeared over time, as Rima had watched Amu and Nagihiko laugh together, enter the classroom together, leave school together. Amu and Nagihiko. Saying the words together left a sour taste in Rima's mouth. Rima and Nagihiko. Saying those words together sounded like a hollow lie.

_Doesn't he like nice, caring girls?_

Yes, Nagihiko liked kind girls like Amu. There was no way he would ever like Rima, cold and cruel.

**…**

"Rima-tan?" Yaya's babyish voice knocked all of Rima's thoughts away. Rima looked up, realizing that Yaya was staring at her. "Yes, Yaya?"

"Oh! Yaya just wanted to make sure that Rima-tan was okay! Rima-tan was off in space!"

Rima forced herself to smile. "I'm fine, Yaya."

"That's good, Rima-tan!" Yaya cheered. "Tadase and I are leaving now! Another tutoring session!" Yaya frowned. "Yaya doesn't like tutoring! Even if Tadase is the one tutoring Yaya! But Yaya's mama said that if Yaya doesn't get her grades up, Yaya's candy will all be taken away!"

"Yuiki-san, we really have to go," Tadase said, checking his watch. He smiled apologetically at Rima. "Mashiro-san, will you be alright?"

"Yeah," Rima muttered. "I'll walk home in a couple of minutes. I just need some time to think, okay?" Last year, Rima's parents had started allowing her to walk home from school by herself. But they had also made Rima take up self-defense classes and carry a can of pepper spray in her schoolbag, making her freedom a little hard to enjoy.

Tadase cast a worried glance at her. "Well, okay. If you say so." He towed a chattering Yaya away, and within a few moments, they were both out of sight.

Rima groaned and put her head in her arms. Everyone was all paired off. Tadase and Yaya. Amu and Nagihiko.

She was the odd one out.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"Brrrriiiiing!" Rima's alarm clock went off and let out a shrill whistle. Rima twisted and turned in her sleep. When she finally couldn't take it, she opened her eyes, picked up the alarm clock, and threw it at the wall. The shrill whistle died and Rima closed her eyes. "Good riddance," she murmured before snuggling back under the covers. Maybe this would convince her mother to stop buying her alarm clocks. That one was her, seventh? Eighth? Rima had lost count after she had killed the fifth one with a hammer.

"RIMA-CHAN!" Rima threw back the covers and flashed her ultimate death glare at the source of the sound. "I'm sleeping!" she growled before diving back under the covers.

Rima's mother sighed. "Oh, okay. If you're sleeping, I just won't give you your birthday present! That's fine too. I just wanted to—"

Rima's face peeked out from the covers. "What present?" she asked cautiously. "I swear, if you're tricking me again, I will—"

Rima's mother sweatdropped. "Rima. This is your _birthday _present."

Rima frowned, rubbing her eyes. Birthday? A birthday present? But her 14th birthday wasn't until February 6th. And February 6th was…

Today. Rima mentally facepalmed.

"Anyways…your birthday present—" Rima's mother stopped abruptly, seeing the shattered alarm clock on the ground. "_Rima…" _If this was an anime, purple fire would be surrounding Ms. Mashiro. _"Did you break another alarm clock?"_

"Oh! Hehehe…" Rima laughed nervously. "You know what, I have to go brush my teeth now! So, gottogoseeyoubye!" Rima zoomed out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, locking the bathroom door for good measure.

Rima's mother slid a hand over a forehead and let out a huge breath. "Oh, Rima. She does know that the bathroom lock is broken, right?"

**...**

After a scolding from her mother (it turned out that the alarm clock had been her twelfth one…oh well), a quick breakfast, and some excitement over her birthday present (an iPhone), Rima walked out the door, her schoolbag slung over her shoulder. Kusukusu floated next to her. "Kusukusukusu! Rima, you're smiling!"

Rima lifted a finger and touched her lips. She _was_ smiling. Kusukusu was beaming. "Rima is happy!" she cheered. "Rima hasn't smiled in a long time!"

That was true, but Rima was determined to be happy today. _It's my birthday, _Rima thought. _I'm fourteen today. _

But all of Rima's resolve disappeared when she got to school and saw Amu and Nagihiko standing next to each other, chatting. Rima wanted to avoid them, but something in her made herself walk up to them. "Hey, Amu," Rima said.

Amu yelped and jumped. When she saw that it was Rima, she relaxed. "Rima! Ohayo! Sorry, I get scared when people sneak up on me…" Amu laughed nervously.

Nagihiko laughed. "Amu-chan was always scared when Nadeshiko crept up on her, wasn't she?" Rima stiffened. Nadeshiko, Nagihiko's twin sister. Rima had met Nadeshiko once, when Nagihiko was at a basketball game. She had seemed nice, but Amu had immediately glomped Nadeshiko and introduced her as "Fujisaki Nadeshiko, my best friend."

Rima had taken an instant disliking to the girl as soon as the words were uttered. Amu's best friend was Rima. Not this Nadeshiko girl. Because if Rima wasn't Amu's best friend, who was she?

Leaving Amu and Nagihiko to chatter about Nadeshiko, Rima stalked off to the classroom, her smile long gone.

**...**

During the day, Rima had to deal with the fact that Nagi and Amu whispered to each other constantly, giving each other furtive looks. They sat and whispered together at lunch. They passed notes. And every time Rima approached them, they stopped whispering and tried to act casual.

Well then. If they didn't want to spend time with her or talk to her, they could have just said so to her face.

Nobody said happy birthday to Rima. She hadn't expected any of her classmates to know her birthday, but she had expected the Guardians to say happy birthday. They most definitely knew when her birthday was.

Did they forget? Or did they just not care?

Rima was mulling over this when she knocked into someone. "Sorry," she muttered before looking up into golden orbs not unlike her own. "Amu?" "Rima!" Amu grinned. "Oh, great timing! I have to ask you something. Can you come over today? At five?"

Rima was shocked. She hadn't expected this. "We…we haven't hung out in a really long time," she managed to say.

Amu nodded, a serious expression on her face. "I know. And I'm really sorry for that. I've been really, really busy. But I want to hang out today, to make up for everything. I promise that you'll have a lot of fun!"

"I…I don't know if I can come," Rima murmured. She stared down at her shoes. "I might be busy."

Amu's face dropped. "Rima, you have to come! Please!" She slid onto her hands and knees and stared up at Rima.

Rima's eyes were the size of dinner plates. Amu was begging her, risking her _cool 'n' spicy _act for this? People were starting to whisper. "I'll come."

Amu jumped up and hugged Rima, the impact blowing all of the wind out of the small girl. "Yes! See you at five!" With a wave, the pink-haired girl skipped away until Rima lost sight of her.

Rima allowed a tiny smile to grace her features. Amu's house, at five?

Sounded like fun.

**…**

Rima stood in front of Amu's house. _There's no going back now, _she thought to herself before standing on the tips of her toes and pressing the doorbell. _Ding dong._

The door flew open. "SURPRISE!"

Rima had jumped backwards in astonishment. She saw one thing at a time. The "Happy 14th Birthday, Rima!" sign. The balloons. The streamers. Tadase smiling all princely, which to tell the truth, made Rima gag. Yaya running around, a huge smile on her face and an even bigger lollipop in her hand. Amu and Nagihiko, standing in the center of the room, both of them grinning like there was no tomorrow.

They were holding hands.

Rima clutched the door handle, feeling her knees go weak. Amu's smile faltered a bit. "Rima? Come in! You didn't seriously believe that we would forget your birthday, did you?"

"I…I…" Rima couldn't speak for fear of letting a sob out. Her eyes filling with tears, she spun around and ran in a random direction. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care.

Any direction was alright as long as it took her farther and farther away from Amu and Nagihiko.

**…**

After a few minutes of nonstop running, Rima sat down on the curb. Panting, she let the tears freefall from her eyes and slide down her cheeks as she held her head in her hands.

Why was life so complicated? Why was love so complicated?

"Rima-chan?" A concerned voice floated behind her. "Rima-chan, why did you leave the party?"

"Go away, Nagihiko." Rima didn't even look at him.

"Rima-chan." Nagihiko sat down next to Rima, looking at her with his luminous amber eyes. "I'm not going to leave you like this." He reached a hand out, and Rima slapped it away, like she had in sixth grade.

"Rima-chan, why did you leave the party?" Nagihiko asked again. "Why?"

Rima lifted her head out of her hands and stared at the boy, her tear-streaked face looking like the very embodiment of sadness and heartbreak. "You wouldn't understand why I left the party."

"I would," The purple-haired boy answered firmly.

The blond curled into a ball. "Why were you holding hands with Amu?"

Nagihiko was shocked. He hadn't expected this question. "We were holding hands as friends, Rima-chan."

"Friends don't hold hands. They don't hug either."

Nagi stared long and hard at Rima's ball shape. "Have you been listening to rumors?"

"It's not a rumor if it's true." Rima's words were muffled but Nagihiko still heard them.

"I did hug her that day at the park. But as good friends. Best friends. Rima, Amu can have more than one best friend."

"I know that now." Rima uncurled from her ball formation. "But just because Amu is best friends with you too doesn't excuse both of you for ignoring me."

"Rima-chan, we don't—"

"Don't what? Ignore me? So what were you doing today, passing notes and whispering, stopping every time I walked within five feet of both of you? What was Amu doing, all those times she rejected my offers to go hang out, just because she was busy hanging out with you? And both of you, walking home together every day…There's no 'Rima' in any of your lives anymore. After all, who needs a Rima when there's a Nagihiko and Amu?" Rima's words were like a slash through Nagihiko's heart.

"Rima-chan, all those times, all those meetings between me and Amu-chan…we were discussing and planning your surprise birthday party. We were whispering so much today because we were making sure everything was perfect. It was all between us two. We didn't want Hotori-kun or Yaya-chan to help, because we two…we care about you, Rima-chan. You're Amu-chan's best friend. And me, I've always wanted to be your friend, Rima-chan. I wish you didn't hate me so much."

Rima didn't answer.

"Rima-chan. Both Amu and I worked really hard on this party. You should go back." Nagihiko stood up and put a hand out. "Rima-chan. Please."

Rima merely stared at Nagihiko's outstretched hand. "Why…why do you love Amu?" she whispered.

Nagihiko's eyes widened. "I don't love Amu, Rima. Why would you think that?"

Tears began falling again as Rima spoke. "When you and Amu are together, both of you are always so happy. You bought ice cream for her that day at the park. And there is no way that both of you plan my party every single time you talk. I'm sure that both of you talk about regular things a lot. And…Amu is nice, and pretty, and caring. She's everything you want in a girl and more, Nagihiko." Rima's small body racked with sobs and she felt like her sadness was engulfing her.

"Amu and I are best friends, Rima-chan. That's all. She's a great person, but I don't have feelings for her. And why did you think that I want a girl nice, pretty, and caring?" Nagihiko asked gently.

"Because…because," Rima sniffled, "That's the type of person _you _are. And you'd never want someone mean and cold."

Nagi crouched down and wiped a tear away from Rima's cheek. "Don't cry," he whispered. "Smile for me. I love your smile."

"Y-You do?"

"Yeah. And Rima, why do you care about the time I spend with Amu? It's not because you want Amu all to yourself, is it?"

"It's not." Rima wiped her tears away. "It's because…because I…" She stopped. "I can't say it."

"Why not?"

"Because…because you won't feel the same way."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I'm still not completely sure that you don't love Amu."

Nagihiko smiled, his Nagihiko smile, the one that made Rima's heart beat faster every time she saw it. "I don't love Amu. Because there's already a girl that I love."

Rima's heart sank. He loved another girl. Not Amu, but still another girl. "And who is this girl you love?" she asked, trying to control her shaking voice. "The pretty girl with midnight blue hair in Moon Class? The one who helps everyone out, no matter what?"

"Nope." Nagihiko laid his hands on Rima's shoulders. "The girl that I love," he whispered in Rima's ear, "has long, golden tresses that reach her knees and golden eyes to match. She's short and petite but definitely not someone you want to mess with. And she's beautiful, but that's not why I like her. I like her because she's funny. Sarcastic. Stubborn.

"I thought that she hated me for the longest time. But, now I think that she might like me back." Nagihiko smiled serenely. "Know who she is, Rima-chan?"

Rima furrowed her eyebrows. "No…I don't think so," she said, confused. "But a girl like that must be pretty special."

"She is," Nagihiko breathed. "Silly Rima. I was talking about you."

"Me?" That was all Rima managed to say before Nagihiko intertwined her fingers with his and kissed her. A firework of emotions lit up inside of her, and she knew she was blushing bright red. But she didn't care.

Nagihiko pulled away. "Rima, I love you." His eyes sparkled with happiness. "Rima, do you love me?"

Rima smiled. "Of course I do, crossdresser."

She was the one that Nagihiko loved, and that made her different. In a good way, of course. She was special.

She had never been so glad to be the odd one out.

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><p><strong>There! First fanfic, done! Review, please? Press the pretty little review button(:<strong>


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